Stratus Falls
by Title Track
Summary: AU of original MySims where essences don't exist and the main character is just an average joe. Follows all the characters of original MySims, and incorporates my main character, Skylar. When Skylar arrives in Stratus Falls, the town is tiny just like at the beginning of the game, but it soon grows, but on different terms. Rated M to be safe. Better description inside.
1. Chapter 1

So, this is going to be a story based only on the characters from the original MySims. I have a lot of admiration for those characters, as they're all pretty versatile, but I'm going to stretch them a little bit and make this story a little more adult. I won't go overboard, but be warned; it will be rated M just for safety purposes. I probably won't include the essences or the main character being the savior of the town, it's going to be like a realistic town where people do things for themselves or hire people to do things for them. The OC main character from the story will be included, but probably won't be the center of attention, at least most of the time. I will change character perspectives to try and incorporate everyone, so this will be omniscient. I will base the main character off my rendition of what they are, and if you're not impressed, I'm not pushing you to read it. The town will start relatively small like it did at the beginning of the game, but it will grow, just in a different way if you follow me.

I haven't researched much to see if anyone's already done something similar to this, but I apologize if they have. I'm not trying to copy anyone, just trying to have a little fun. :) Not to sound rude, but I'm mostly writing this for myself, but you're more than welcome to read, review, and tell me what you think. Enjoy!

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><p>Chapter One: Stratus Falls<p>

Skylar-

I sat in the squishy, leather double-seat of the wrought-iron train I'd boarded several hours before. The voyage I'd bought was set to take anywhere from six to seven hours, and I'd made just about six and a half hours so far. I'm sure most people would have at least taken a two hour nap during the ride, but I'd never been much for naps anyway. Sleeping wasn't one of my top priorities. I stayed up well into the wee hours of the morning and was generally up in time to be productive.

Of course, that was when I'd had a job in my old hometown. I'd ran into some troubles as of late; lost my job, had some falling-outs with my family, and lost a few friends in the process, but I knew it was time for a new beginning in a new town. I'd spent the past few weeks looking for small towns with cheap living rates in the nearby area, and I'd found one that had suited me. The town was called Stratus Falls, and to my understanding, the town only had about six residents currently. Maybe it was a little small and close-knit, but I was sure it would be a good, fresh start.

I stared out the window of the locomotive as the sky turned from bright-yellow and pink around the horizon, to a deep purple and blueish color. No sooner had I noticed the change in skylight had the train screeched to a halt. I glanced out the window across from me to see the smallest town I'd ever seen in my life. I only counted four official buildings and two houses. The town itself looked like a hamlet-styled village straight from a cartoon. I let out a sigh as I stood and hefted my backpack out from underneath the seat. Maybe I'd made a mistake, but maybe this was just what I needed.

I sauntered down the aisle passing the few passengers who still had destinations to make. Most of them were asleep at this point, but the ones who weren't met my gaze and quickly looked away. I was guessing it had something to do with my appearance. I'll admit, I didn't look like most girls my age. In fact, I basically looked like a boy. I was dressed in some beat-up, patched jeans with a loop hanging from my belt. I had on a red flannel, long-sleeve shirt left unbuttoned so that you could see the green surfer t-shirt, with a white logo and white neck loop on it. I kept my ear-length brown-hair wild and messy, where it spiked up in nearly every direction. I had pretty innocent, feminine looking brown-eyes based on my assumptions, and I had freckles across my nose and cheeks. I also wore a pair of green and tan sneakers with stars on them. I was just pretty casual, and didn't care much for the fact whether I looked feminine or masculine. Most people did care though, and I assumed the people would here too since it was such a small town. Maybe it'd be worth it though. I needed a more secluded setting to clear my head.

As I stepped off the train and onto the platform, I was immediately greeted by a woman with short, brown-hair and deep blue eyes. She was dressed in a navy-blue suit-jacket with a rose pinned on her upper-right-chest. She was also wearing a navy-blue, calf-length skirt and black dress-shoes. I assumed she was the mayor, and upon her introduction, I learned I was correct.

"Hello, there! I'm Mayor Rosalyn P. Marshall, the mayor of Stratus Falls. I'd like to welcome you to this town, and what is your name?" she inquired, reaching her hand out for me to shake.

"Name's Skylar," I answered, shaking her hand. "This is a pretty nice town. Smallest I've ever seen, actually."

"Oh, yes," she began, heading down the steps of the platform and leading me to the square. "We currently have a population of six, now seven with the addition of you! But even though small in numbers, we're very high in productivity and we have a close-knit little community. We're all family here! We're so glad you could join us! Now, let me show you around town!"

I noticed the train pulling away down the tracks as she rambled on and led me through the town square. I'd missed my chance to escape, but maybe staying here wouldn't be so bad. The mayor was nice, after all, but that was most likely her job.

"Here's the hotel, where Buddy our proprietor and bellhop works. He does everything by himself, which is just amazing!" she explained.

_There's not much work to be done when you don't have many visitors__._ I thought to myself, but then thought to inquire, "How many visitors do you guys usually get in a week?"

"Oh, not very many. We may get two a week if we're lucky."

_How the hell do these people stay in business?_ I thought to myself.

"And here's Poppy's Flower Shop. She runs the entire shop herself and offers everything in the variety of floral arrangements," she continued on.

_Well, at least I can have a bouquet of roses to qualm my loneliness. _I thought.

"And here's Chef Gino's Italian restaurant. It's the only restaurant in town, but it's by far the best food in the world," she stated, pointing to the Italian-esque dwelling beside Poppy's Flower Shop. She continued on showing me the Town Hall, and then two other resident's homes, by the name of Patrick and Violet.  
>Apparently, Patrick was a connoisseur of fine cuisine, but didn't have much drive, according to the Mayor, and was in his late twenties and working as a cook and waiter at the Italian joint. The Mayor rambled on about how he could open up a second restaurant and beat out Gino if he'd had the drive. Apparently, she wasn't much for slacking of any kind.<p>

She then rambled on about Violet and how she was Poppy's older sister, and she was unemployed and spent all her time cooped up in her house with the shades drawn and speaking to spirits. "The girl is obsessed with the dark arts, and she believes there are ghosts in this town. Can you believe that?"

It honestly didn't sound too crazy to me, but I could tell the Mayor didn't care for this Violet girl all that much, and she seemed to be a bit of a gossip, honestly.

"And this is your home!" The Mayor announced, showing me a simple home with white windows, and white door, and black roof. I took in the view of it and subconsciously smiled. It was the first home I'd ever been able to just mine, without sharing it or renting it with other people. "How much do I owe you for it?"

The Mayor laughed. "Oh, no dear. You don't owe me a thing. I'd just like for you to work part-time anywhere in this town and pay off your debt that way."

That didn't make sense. Were all the profits in this town intertwined? That was the only way this town's ability to keep running would make sense.

"Now, how old did you say you were?" the Mayor inquired.

"Oh, I'm nineteen," I answered, being drawn from my thoughts.

"Oh, my, so young. Well, what inspired you to move to our paradise in the first place?"

I wouldn't call it a paradise, but I answered anyway, "I just needed a fresh start. Wanted to find a town that I could be secluded in and start building a future for myself. How much of a debt do I need to work off?" I had earned a little savings money from working my last job, and I'd had some stowed away for me in case I ever went to college, but I knew that measly amount would never pay for a house.

"Oh, don't you worry about that. As long as you keep yourself busy in this town, you'll always have a home," she answered smiling in an over-exaggerated way. That didn't really make much sense to me, and it didn't make much sense as to why Violet was allowed to stay, but I assumed it had something to do with her sister owning a Flower Shop. "We're expecting major growth within the next year, mind you, but you'll always have a place. I like you, Skylar!"

Major Growth? What, two people? I was here, so I guess that meant one other has yet to move in. "How many people are you expecting to accumulate?"

"Oh, probably fifty to sixty," she said nonchalantly. Although that was measly growth, it was exorbitant for a town of this stature. I'm sure the Mayor was just bluffing, but I played her game and smiled anyway.

"Well, dear. It's getting late, and I have paperwork to do," she said, sticking a key in my hand. "If you need anything, just come on up to Town Hall, and I'll be happy to help! Don't be a stranger, feel free to introduce yourself to your neighbors tomorrow, and see around town as to who needs to hire on some extra hands. We'll be in touch. Goodnight, darling!" she said, turning and heading back towards Town Hall.

I let out a sigh and walked up to my front door. I eased the key into the lock, and the lock turned a lot easier than I'd expected. Inside, the walls were barren and a deep-blue color with brown trim. The house had a fridge, stove, some counters, a table with two chairs, a small tv, and a couch. I checked to bathroom to make sure it had all the necessary plumbing, and the bedroom contained a single bed with red sheets, a mirror, and a dresser. It was simple, but perfect for me. I set my backpack on the dresser and checked my phone for the first time today. It was just after 8 pm, and I needed a little shut-eye before I could handled anything else. I pulled off my jeans, sneakers, and over-shirt and settled under the covers for a full night's rest. I drifted off to sleep before I even had time to remember where I was.

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><p>First chapter was short, but the others won't be so lenient ;)<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

This chapter will be a bit longer. Enjoy!

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><p>Chapter Two: Down to Business<p>

Skylar-

I awoke the next morning feeling more rested than I had in months. I'd slept a solid eight hours, as the time on my phone currently read 8:03am. I sat up, stretched, and pulled myself out of bed. I pulled on the same jeans I'd worn yesterday and the same flannel shirt as well. I wasn't sure where or how I was supposed to do laundry, but I supposed I'd ask around town today. Oh, that's right. I'd nearly forgotten that today I was supposed to go meet the town. Hopefully they'd all be nice. I shuffled into the kitchen to find my fridge packed with food. Where did all of this food come from anyway? I grabbed a banana out of the fridge, quickly ate it, and stepped into my shoes.

As I stepped out the front door, I was assaulted by the bright sunlight and the late summer heat. I stuck my hands in my pocket as I shuffled towards the town square. In the middle of the square was a massive fountain with three redish-pinkish fish jutting out in three opposite directions. Each of them had water squirting out of their mouths and into the pool of water at their base. Coming from my house, directly in between me and the fountain were two empty lots. On the opposite side of the fountain, there was Poppy's Flower Shop and Gino's restaurant. To the right of the fountain, was Town Hall, and to the left of the fountain, was the Hotel. I stood and surveyed my three options of employment. I could help this Buddy fellow out with the Hotel, or I could help out Poppy with her flowers, or I could work in Gino's restaurant. I figured I'd check out the restaurant since I'd worked at a few restaurants in my time.

I shuffled towards the Italian restaurant a pulled open the door casually. I stepped inside to find a middle-aged man filling out some paperwork on one of the tables and another, younger man kneading dough at the counter. They both looked up as I stepped inside, and I instantly felt awkward.

"Oh, hello! You must be our newest resident!" the middle-aged man, who I assumed to be Gino, said. He stood up and motioned for me to sit down. "Please, do sit down."

I nodded and sat down in the chair opposite to him. "Hello, my name's Skylar," I greeted, shaking his hand. The man had a firm grip, as his hands were wrinkled and hard from years of food preparation. He had a cheery smile on his face, and black curly mustache. The man rarely opened his eyes, they were permanently glued shut it seemed, which I thought was kind of odd, but they were turned downwards as if his face was permanently stitched into an over-exaggerated smile. He had solid, black short hair that was covered with a traditional chef's hat. He wore a white, button-up chef's shirt with a white apron tied around his waist, and red ascot tied around his neck. His pants were checkered black and white, and his shoes were traditional, black non-slip restaurant shoes. The man seemed nice, honestly, and I instantly liked him.

"Well, hello there! And what brings you to my famous restaurant Italiano? Are you here to try my world famous pizza?" he inquired, in a heavy Italian accent.

"No, no. I'm good. It's much too early for pizza, but thank you. I was just wondering if you needed any help running your fine restaurant?" I inquired, putting on my professional face.

The man paused a moment in thought. "Hmmm...Yes...We have been quite busy as of late, and Rosalyn has predicted tremendous growth in the coming year... Patrick! What would you think of having a coworker?" Gino asked the man kneading dough.

"Works for me," he replied simply.

"Well, then! You're hired! When can you start?" Gino inquired, turning to me.

"Well, as soon as you'd like," I answered earnestly.

"Excellent! Follow me!" Gino announced leading me to the back room, which consisted of a desk, a sink, and single bed. On top of the desk was a dusty old computer and the man pulled up an extra chair from the dining room. "Now, I have some paperwork for you to fill out." Gino pulled up a bunch of common forms needed to start a new job and told me to have at it. He then shuffled back into the kitchen and helped Patrick with prep. It took me about two hours to finish all the paperwork, and the computer clock read 10:37am. I shuffled into the kitchen and alerted Gino I was done.

"Excellent! Now our lunch rush is about to start, but I don't want you to start working today. How about you take the rest of the day off and meet the rest of the town? Would you like to start tomorrow?" Gino inquired.

"Yeah, that works for me, what time?"

"Come in about ten, and I'll show you how to do a few things before lunch rush hits. Then you can work a little bit of the rush, si?"

"Sounds good to me, I'll see you in the morning! Thanks again for the job, Mr. Gino!" I said appreciatively, while heading for the door.

"Please, please. No formalities. Call me Gino!"

"Alright then!" I said with a laugh, while heading out the door. I closed it behind me and let out a contented sigh. I had a job. I always felt much more worthy of life when I had a steady income. I shuffled through town and decided it was time for a smoke break. I found secluded park bench next to the stream that ran through town and lit a cigarette. I instantly delved into deeper thinking as I often did when smoking. It may be a bad habit, but it was one of the only things that made me feel relaxed. Thoughts from my past and sharing a cigarette with someone who was once closer to me than anyone else swamped my mind. I shook them away as I refused to acknowledge what had put me in this situation. I finished the cigarette and stuck it in the butt in a nearby trash can.

I decided it was probably a good idea to let the mayor know how my day had went. I shuffled back through the square and up to the double doors of Town Hall. I entered the massive building and heard voices from the next room, so I found a seat in the foyer and waited until they were done.

"...And what seems to be the issue with that, Poppy?" I heard the Mayor say, instantly recognizing her voice.

"I'm just not selling many flowers," the other voice responded, whom I assumed to belong to Poppy.

"Well, Poppy there aren't very many people in this town, what do you expect? But the income in this town is all intertwined, so you'll be fine. What is your concern?" the Mayor replied cordially.

"I guess I'm just bored. We got a new resident yesterday, right?"

"Yes, and Skylar is very nice. She seems driven. I told her to find a job around town," the Mayor replied.

"Oh, well, don't send her towards me. I don't even have enough work for myself," Poppy replied.

"Well, it's completely up to her where she works. If she comes your way, just be honest. I know Gino and Buddy need more help than you, and she could even start up something of her own like you and your sister have. Speaking of," the Mayor stated with a pause, "How is the garden coming along?"

"Oh, pretty well actually. Violet actually does most of the work. I usually check on it every morning before I open up the shop, but every time I do there's nothing to be done. Violet heads down there every night and works on it. The only thing I usually do is deliver the food harvested around town," Poppy stated proudly.

"Well, that is good. It's good to see Violet's keeping herself busy, but she's such an oddball for this town. Most people here aren't prone to the night like she is."

"I know," Poppy replied with a pause, "but that's what makes her unique and helps make this town unique. No two people are exactly the same. So what's this Skylar like?"

"Well..." the Mayor began with a pause, and then she began speaking in a hushed tone that even I couldn't hear. Poppy replied in a similar hushed tone, and finally, I heard the Mayor's final response. "We haven't had someone like that in a while."

"No doubt. Well, we can't go assuming things, but it wouldn't bother me either way," Poppy replied.

"I can't say the same for myself, but it isn't an important detail right now."

"You're right. Well, I need to get going, but thanks for hearing me out, Roz. I've got a few more deliveries to make, and then I've got to reopen the shop for the day. Seeya' later!" Poppy stated, opening the door to the meeting room, and instantly focusing on me. Recognition settled in her eyes, and she smiled warmly. "Oh, hello! You must be Skylar!" she greeted, extending her hand out for me to shake.

I gently shook her hand and surveyed her appearance. It was impossible for me to tell her age because she appeared very child-like, with black hair pulled into pigtails with flowery hairbands. She had deep, innocent black eyes, and she had a warm smile. She was dressed in a cutesy navy jumper, with her left shoulder-strap left undone, and she wore a bright, yellow tank-top underneath that. She had a brown and yellow, flowery messenger bag hung over her left shoulder, and she was wearing brown flats with knee-high, white socks. She appeared to be no more than eight, but I could tell she was at least my age by looking at her face and knowing the fact she ran a flower shop all by herself. "Hey, you guessed right. I am the newbie around here. What's your name?"

"I'm Poppy, and I run the flower shop over by Gino's! It's nice to meet you!" she announced and started skipping towards the door. "Bye! I'll see you around Skylar!"

"Bye..." I said, dumbfounded, as she skipped out the front door. Suddenly, the Mayor appeared in the door frame to her private room. She smiled warmly.

"Oh, hello, Skylar! Sorry to keep you waiting. How long have you been here?" she inquired, obviously faking obliviousness to the fact that I may have overheard their conversation.

"Oh, not long. Probably only two or three minutes. I saw the door was closed and figured you were in a meeting with someone," I replied, also feigning ignorance.

"Oh, good! I just hate to keep my citizens waiting! Now, what can I help you with?"

"Oh, I just wanted to let you know I found a job," I replied. "I'm gonna' be working with Gino, if that's cool."

"Oh, yes! That's quite alright! How are you settling in? How are you liking the town so far?" she inquired.

"Oh, it's been great. Everyone's very nice, and it's very peaceful here, but I do have a few questions... if that's okay," I replied sheepishly.

"Of course, what did you want to know?"

"Well, where does the food come from? And where can I do some laundry?" I inquired.

"Well, of course there's Gino's restaurant, and Poppy and Violet have a garden in the forest where they grow all kinds of fruits and vegetables for the town. Poppy will deliver you a shipment once per week, and I have a form here if you'd like to exclude anything from your order," she said, handing me the form. "Also, Patrick has a corral of pigs, cows, and chickens out in the desert where he raises and procures livestock. He'll deliver you fresh meat once per week as well, and here's the exclusion form for him as well," she stated, handing me another form. "If you need anything excluded, just fill it out on that form and hand it to them when they deliver your food every week. Any other foods we can't grow or make ourselves we have imported, and a shipment of those arrive once per week by train. If you'd like to request some of those foods, fill this form out and take it to Buddy," she stated, handing another form to me. "All the costs of these foods are subtracted from your paycheck weekly as all of our incomes rely on each other; however, it isn't much of a subtraction because of the deals we have lined up," she continued on. "And as for laundry, most of us just clean our clothes downstream so that it won't pollute our drinking water. Buddy creates a special soap for cleaning clothes, and you can buy bottles of it directly from him. Buddy also filtrates fresh drinking water for the town, which he will deliver to you once per week. Since the stream runs directly by the hotel, we have a mechanism set-up that filtrates water for plumbing throughout the town. Buddy makes sure that machine is consistently working, but it doesn't require a lot of maintenance due to its efficiency," she stated.

After she had finished, I simply nodded and thanked her. She'd answered a lot of my questions, and even this town was tiny, I could tell everyone stayed extremely busy, which was good. I bid her farewell and headed for the door. I checked my phone to see it was well after noon. I sat at a park bench in the town square and filled out the forms she had handed me. I'd already met most of the town, but I decided it was time to introduce myself to Buddy. I entered the revolving door of the hotel and found a measly boy probably about my age leaning on the front counter. He seemed bored out of his mind. He had short, blonde hair tucked into a red, black, and gold bellhop hat, with a black bill and golden gem on the front. He had deep black eyes, and an awkward but adorable smile. He was dressed in a red bellhop, button-up shirt with black and gold trim and golden buttons. He also had a golden bow-tie on the front of his neck. He work black, bellhop trousers with golden trim, and black and gold sensible shoes.

"Oh, hello! Welcome to Hotel Stratus!" he greeted, nearly tripping over himself to shake my hand. "Need a room?" he inquired hopefully.

"No, no, sorry. I'm the newest resident, Skylar. I'm here to buy some of your infamous soap," I stated with a smirk.

"Oh, right! Heya'! Nice to meet ya'! I'm Buddy, I run the Hotel Stratus and the town's water filtration system, and I also make soap in my free time. Welcome to our town!" he announced excitedly. "How much soap did you need?"

"Hmm, I'll probably only need one bottle for now, how much will that run me?" I inquired.

He pulled out a calculator and began punching in numbers. "Let's see...Uh-huh...Hmm... It'll be three simoleons!" he announced, handing me a bottle of soap.

I pulled three crisp simoleons out of my pocket and the form for requested foods I'd filled out, handed them to him, and thanked him as I headed out the revolving door. "It was nice meeting you!" I yelled as I exited the hotel. I checked my phone to see it wasn't even 1 'o clock yet, so I headed back to my house and set to unpacking. I spent a few hours setting up my house how I liked it, and then dropped off the forms I'd filled out to Poppy and Patrick. I'd timed it perfect where the Sun was about to see and decided I'd go find somewhere to watch it. I ventured into the forest, which had a mystical, almost Asian feel to it and found a sturdy cliff to settle on. I lit a cigarette and watched the sky as it transformed into a myriad of different colors. I briefly wondered where I'd find more smokes once I ran out, but I didn't dwell on it too long.

Once the sky had sank beneath the horizon, and the onset of twilight had begun, I set off to exploring the woods around me. I found caves and clearings, ponds and mystical trees that extended for yards above me, and there were even overgrown benches strewn about for people to sit on. I'd nearly finished my exploration, when I came across a girl sitting on her knees with her hands in clasping together. She was mumbling something beneath her breath that sounded like an alien tongue. Her opened her deep, black eyes and settled them on me, obviously aware of my presence.

"Sorry to disturb you," I mumbled.

"Oh, no. You're fine. You must be the newbie," she greeted, a little bluntly I might add, but I never minded bluntness.

"Yeah, I'm Skylar. It's nice to meet you," I greeted, extending my hand for her to shake.

"It's nice to meet you as well. I'm Violet," she stated, shaking my hand, and her skin was as smooth as sheep's skin and as cold as ice. I surveyed her appearance for a moment. She accented her deep, black eyes with lavender eye shadow, and her face seemed permanently etched into a mournful, yet mysterious frown. She had long, dark ebony hair, which nearly obscured one of her eyes. she wore a long, black dress with purple-ish skull designs down the arms, and she wore a choker around her neck with a purple gem extending to her bosom. Her black shoes were nearly obscured by the length of her skirt. She was certainly an oddball for this, but then again, so was I.

"You seem sensible, which is rare for this town," she announced.

I laughed lightly, sitting down beside her. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Most people here seem too cheery. I'm not used to it. I come from a much more stressful environment."

"Where are you from?" she inquired.

"Oh, I'm from a big city west of here. The hustle and bustle got to me, and I wanted to try my luck in a smaller setting."

She glanced downwards at the grass beneath us as she spoke. "Yes, that many people would bother me. I'm not much for people. Rosalyn keeps saying we'll have a massive growth in the next year, but I think she's bluffing. Still, if the others that move here are like you, I wouldn't mind it," she stated warmly.

I blushed slightly. That was the nicest thing anyone had said to me so far. Everyone else seemed pretty fake in my opinion. "Yeah, everyone here seems fake, honestly."

"They are," she stated. "Except Patrick, he's a down to earth guy, and Buddy's not bad, he's just an overworked geek. Still, watch out for the Mayor, she can be a little manipulative, and the Chef's got a serious ego complex. Poppy's just a twenty-year-old child honestly."

"She's twenty?!" I asked, with disbelief.

Violet laughed. "Oh, yes. I know it's hard to believe, but she is. She's only three years younger than I am, but she acts like she's much younger than that."

"So, you're twenty-three?" I inquired.

"Yep, how old are you?" she replied.

"Well, I'm only nineteen. I guess that kind of makes me the youngin' of the bunch," I stated.

She laughed again. "Nah, Buddy's only eighteen. He's just got a crazy drive for his age," she stated. "Patrick's twenty-seven, Gino's well into his forties, as is the Mayor."

"I see," I said, understanding the age gaps of the citizens. "So, what're you doing out here by yourself?" I inquired.

"Oh, I'm trying to contact a few spirits," she stated simply.

"Are there any ghosts in this town?"

"Oh, yes. There's quite a few. There's only one I've been able to make contact with, and she goes by the name Cassandra. I haven't been able to learn much about her story though, which disheartens me. She's elusive, to say at the least," she stated. "What're you doing out here?"

"Oh, well I was just exploring the town. I feel a lot more relaxed around sunset and at nighttime. It's a beautiful town, honestly. Especially the forest," I answered.

"Indeed. I feel the same way about the night. I've always been drawn to it," she stated.

I laughed and nodded. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Violet, but I better be getting back. I need to settle in a little more before bed."

"I understand. Goodbye, and don't be a stranger, Skylar. I like you," she stated with a smile. I blushed slightly and smiled back. I then set off through the woods, and it didn't take me long to find my way back to the square. I shuffled towards my house and settled on the front step, lighting a cigarette and scrolling through my phone. Soon after, I heard footsteps and looked up to meet the deep, black eyes of Patrick. It seemed like almost everyone in this town had dark eyes.

"Can't sleep?" he inquired, taking a drag of his own cigarette. Well, at least I wasn't the only smoker in this town. Patrick had ear-length, black hair, and he wore a black cap over it to conceal it. He had black stubble extending from where his sideburns ended and encircled the entirety of his jaw, cheeks, chin, and lip. He wore a short-sleeve, brown button up with three tan stripes toward the bottom. He left it unbuttoned so you could see his orange-ish yellow t-shirt, with a red stripe around the neck, and red three-pronged design in middle. He wore simple jeans, and a pair of black and yellow skate shoes.

"Nah, not yet. I gotta' calm myself down before bed," I replied.

"I understand," he replied. "A cigarette usually helps me do just that."

"Same here. What kind of cigarette have you got there?"

"Oh, this?" he inquired, surveying the cigarette for a moment. "I roll it myself. I've been a smoker for years, and Roz won't pass off on us ordering tobacco for the town, so I grow my own and sell to anyone who needs them. If you run out, just stop by my place, and I can hook you up with some decent prices," he replied.

"Oh, cool! I was wondering what I was gonna' do about smokes. They help me relax, so I'll definitely take you up on that offer," I replied. "Who else smokes in this town?" I inquired.

"Well," he began. Mostly just me. Sometimes Chef will bum one when we've had a rough day at the shop, and Violet occasionally buys a pack off me, but that's about it, other than you. Speaking of, you're gonna' be working with Chef and I, aren't you?" he inquired.

"Yeah, I start tomorrow," I replied, taking another drag of my cigarette.

"Cool! You'll like it! I know I do, but I just love scoring freebies of the food we make. I'm a connoisseur of fine dining," he replied, with a chuckle.

"Y'kno, I haven't even tried Gino's famous pizza yet."

"Oh, it's to die for, you'll love it. I'll talk to chef about hooking you up with a complimentary meal tomorrow for being our newbie," he replied.

"Thanks," I stated graciously.

"No problem, well hey, I gotta' go take care of a few things, but I'll see you in the morning. Take care now, Sky!" he replied.

"Night, Patrick," I replied. He then strolled off into town. I put out the cigarette I'd been smoking and strolled back into my home, dropping the butt in the trash can by the door. I shuffled into my room, undressed, and slipped under the sheets. I checked the time on my phone, and it was suddenly 10:30. I set an alarm for work the next day and drifted off into sleep.

* * *

><p>Pretty much done with the exposition at this point, the story will start developing from this point onward. Thanks for reading. :)<p> 


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